In the enchanting realm of Avalon, a man entering the Æth baptism realm awakens the ancient bloodline within him, allowing him to connect deeply with his roots.
At that fateful moment of Damon's impending demise, a surge of primordial energy ignited within him, coursing through his veins like wildfire. A dazzling eruption of light burst forth, reaching for the heavens, causing the heavenly demon before him to stagger back.
"Amazing! This boy can still break through in such a critical situation," the heavenly demon marveled, genuine astonishment decorating his features. "Boy, I am offering you one last chance. Release her and follow me... calmly," he urged, eyeing Damon, who struggled to harness the energy erupting from within.
"Damn it! Something feels off," Damon thought, his energy climbing higher as two mystical rings manifested on his body.
The first ring formed around his upper chest, radiating a fierce red light, prompting a gasp from the heavenly demon. "What sort of talent is this? It exceeds even my wildest imagination!" he exclaimed, his own crimson hair fluttering wildly in the wind.
"Boy, make your choice now!" The heavenly demon's patience began to fray as he felt an unusual mix of reluctance creeping into his heart.
Meanwhile, Velma was lost in her thoughts. "This boy... The confidence in his movements, as if he's crafted for survival," she mused, her gaze lingering on Damon, who had held her captive. Even though she was already in the Æth baptism realm, she felt a stifling presence weighing down on her, causing a smile to creep across her face.
"But can he endure this?" she wondered, a blush creeping onto her cheeks as she licked her lips.
Damon's energy surged, erupting from his chest, encircled by the vibrant red halo, while a black halo crowned his head.
"Haha! How frightening," the heavenly demon admitted, eyes fixed on Damon. "A boy with dual bloodlines—this is truly a rarity." Hastily, he expanded his domain, concealing the overwhelming aura emanating from Damon. "This boy must be the scion of some prominent family." He laughed knowingly, sensing the approach of others in the distance. "Today, no one will save you. I, the heavenly demon, swear on my name!"
His laughter echoed, but out of the nothingness emerged a woman, her aura oppressive and intimidating. The heavenly demon retreated several steps, dread washing over him. "Damn it! I anticipated this," he cursed, frustration etching lines across his face. "In this continent, variables are born from all corners of Avalon. It's said that when a variable is born, the gods of their bloodlines send subordinates to aid in awakening the bloodline." His fear intensified as he noted that the woman had eyes only for Damon, as if she were gazing at a long-lost love.
"If what I suspect stands before me, this could spell disaster," he thought, anxiety blooming within him for Velma's safety.
Meanwhile, in the Void Mansion, Gerald had dispatched a search party for his missing son. His face bore a grave seriousness, a stark contrast to a few hours prior when he and Dora had cradled their newborn daughter. They felt the elemental flows coursing through her tiny body, her eyes flickering with flame, each breath summoning the wind, forming a protective barrier around her as if instinctively safeguarding her.
Suddenly, Thomas burst into the room, his eyes widening as he spotted the child cradled in Dora's arms. "This can't be right! I sense Damon's energy flowing through that child!" he exclaimed, racing toward Gerald. His brow furrowed, filled with shock and anger. "Why does she feel so much like Damon?"
Gerald took a deep breath, while Dora lowered her gaze in shame as they relayed the unfolding events. Thomas's eyes widened in disbelief as he wrapped his mind around the story. "How can this be possible?" he breathed, amazed that in his thousand yearsof living , he had never encountered such phenomena. "So that burst of light was the child's doing," he said, his hands trembling as he studied the infant.
"We're drawing unwanted attention—we need to move!" Thomas urged Gerald.
"I know, Father, but I am prepared for whatever happens," Gerald replied, his expression steely despite the turmoil.
"But where's Damon?" Thomas pressed.
Gerald's expression turned grave. "We do not know his whereabouts. But something felt different about him—his demeanor was... unsettling."
"And you allowed him to leave the protection of the Void family?" Thomas's voice rose in ire. "How dense can you be?"
Old Man Thomas's energy flared, "Elders of the Void family, heed my call! Your heir is missing—the one destined to carve our path! Old devils, sharpen your swords!" His voice resonated with urgency, worry tightening in his chest. "I have a bad feeling about this—"
Suddenly, an explosive burst of energy erupted in the distance—a blinding light enveloped the sky. "Someone is breaking into the Æth baptism realm!" he shouted, eyes darting toward Raksha Forest. He squinted into the light, seeing two halos—one red, one black—surrounding it. "That's Damon's energy!" Surprise painted his features as he and Gerald exchanged hopeful glances. "He possesses the phenomenal bloodlines of the black- primordial bloodline and the red - ancestor bloodline!"
A smile broke over their faces, but without warning, the light vanished as quickly as it had appeared, anxiety flaring anew. Gerald and Thomas shot off like a streak of light towards Raksha Forest, several elders racing after him, hope mingling with dread.
Meanwhile, inside Damon's mind, reality slipped away as the awakening of his potential left him vulnerable. Though he struggled to keep a grip on Velma, his consciousness began to fade. He felt an ethereal arm wrap around him, a touch reminiscent of a long-lost love, holding him tightly as if he were the only thing anchoring her to the realm.
The heavenly demons, heart poundex, watched as the goddess's presence radiated pure energy. As she raised her head, her eyes caught his, and in that instant, his consciousness was drawn into a kaleidoscope of countless universes and lifetimes, before abruptly returning to his being.
"My suspicions were correct. The being before us is no ordinary candidate; she is a goddess ," he thought, panic beginning to settle in. The goddess pointed a finger towards him, energy swirling around it, making the heavenly demon's mind scream for him to move. But he knew it was pointless dodging that . He erected layers of barriers in haste.
To his astonishment, she made no move to attack,instead her form flickered as her gaze returned on Damon. The heavenly demon glanced at Damon, blood trickling from his lips, both halos flickering with colors—green, blue, yellow, gray—as the goddess's form flickered like a mirage. Her focus was locked on Velma, as she pointed her finger, as if ready to pop a balloon.
"Thank you, Velma!" the heavenly demon yelled, summoning black flames in his hand, slashing towards the goddess. A barrier erupted as her gaze remained fixed on him, her voice ringing like chimes in his ears.
"How dare you interrupt my meeting with him?" she seethed, her anger shimmering with a divine intensity. "The one I have awaited for so long."
In a split second, the space between them crackled with energy, as she redirected her focus, a blast shot from her finger aimed directly at the heavenly demon's hand.
At first, he felt nothing. But that relief morphed into horror as he glimpsed the withering of his hand. Without hesitation, he severed it to stop the decay from spreading.
"Thank your stars!" she stated with an eerie calmness, her eyes filled with a poignant sadness, just as she turned back to Damon, regret washing over her countenance for leaving him so soon.
In an instant, she vanished from the heavenly demon's domain, leaving Damon collapsed on his knees as both halos changed, the red one turning grey and the black turned red both decreasing in rank.
Velma, recovering from the tension,as she stood up, a light giggle escaping her lips. "Ahh, that was exhilarating!" She leapt towards her father, prompting a proud smile from the heavenly demon as he forced himself to rise, looking at Damon on his knees.
"If he only knew the poison she carries, he might have thought twice about holding her so closely," the heavenly demon chuckled darkly as he opened the calabash, directing its tip towards Damon, drawing the boy into the calabash.
"Father, we need to leave—now!" Velma urged as she gathered her hair. "Experts from various realms are converging on our location!"